


Let's Go Home

by karasluthqr



Category: Criminal Minds (US TV)
Genre: Angst mixed with fluff, F/F, Hurt/Comfort, Sickfic, i hope you guys like it, i've never written anything like this, it's kind of cute i think??, vomit warning!!
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-24
Updated: 2019-05-24
Packaged: 2020-03-13 08:25:11
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,012
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18937141
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/karasluthqr/pseuds/karasluthqr
Summary: JJ is hesitant to tell her sons about her relationship with Emily, but when she's struck with a migraine at the office, she has a change of heart.





	Let's Go Home

**Author's Note:**

> This one shot takes place in the AU of my previous fic, About Time, so if you haven't read that, you can go check it out if you want!
> 
> Note: This is the longest thing I've ever written and I'm kind of worried it's too long and maybe too graphic. I don't know. Let me know what you think about it. I love hearing feedback! 
> 
> By the way, if you love long hurt/comfort fics, then this fic is for you.

A familiar throb behind her right eye made the blonde wince, the abrupt onset causing her pen to slip from her grasp. A soft thud sounded as it collided with her stack of reports. JJ dragged her hand down her face, her fingertips applying pressure to the spot just above her eyebrow. _‘Great, a migraine. Just what I needed_ ,’ her conscious groaned.

Jennifer Jareau wasn’t unfamiliar with migraines. The two were quite cozy actually. She started having them around the time of Ros’ death, and over the years, the frequency of her attacks waxed and waned. She used to get them at least once a month when she was liaison and at least once a week when she worked for the State Department. They decreased substantially when she came back to work for the BAU; she had them maybe a few times a year or so. Unfortunately, that relative bliss only lasted a couple of years; her migraines increased again when Matt Cruz popped back into her life. They never returned to State Department level frequency - thank _God_ \- but they’d been fluctuating between a couple a month and once a month ever since her abduction.

The steady breath JJ inhaled came out a shaky exhale as spots began to dance in front of her eyes, the familiar pressure moving to envelope her entire skull. This was going to be a _really_ long day.

* * *

Emily Prentiss had sensed something was off with JJ the minute she trudged through the double doors of the bullpen this morning. Her hair was thrown together half-haphazardly, and she sported dark bags under her eyes that the appliance of concealer had failed to cover. Her movements were sluggish, and her posture was slumped; she looked completely drained. Emily cursed herself, wishing she could have gone home with JJ the night before.

Their relationship was still new - their four months mark had been about a week ago - so the boys didn’t know yet. Emily understood JJ’s hesitation surrounding telling Henry and Michael about their relationship so soon, but that didn’t stop her from longing for the ability to take her girlfriend home at night and help her out with her sons when she desperately needed a break.

A vague mask of concern wore the older agent’s features as she eyed JJ through the blinds of her office window. The blonde pinched the bridge of her nose every couple of minutes and her breathing had slowed down considerably. JJ exhibited no other obvious signs of discomfort, but it was enough for Emily to know something was wrong and exactly what it was.

* * *

“Another one?” The voice intruded, assaulting JJ’s senses and halting the movement of her fingers as they worked to massage circles on each side of her head. It took her a bit longer than usual, but JJ was able to identify the voice her brain was amplifying in her ears. _Emily_. She hoped the older woman hadn’t noticed her wince.

“Sorry?” Her voice sounded foreign, far away, almost as if the word hadn’t come from her own mouth. She looked up and instantly regretted it when her vision blurred over and the telltale nausea began to settle in. She squinted, willing her brain to hurry up and put the brunette into focus. Slowly, the fuzziness began to fade and JJ could make out the figure of Emily Prentiss sitting on top of the desk in front of hers, her legs dangling off the sides as her body turned to face hers. The gaze she was met with was expectant - her Unit Chief - though the brown eyes shone with concern - her girlfriend.

Emily was about to reiterate her concern for the blonde but held herself back, identifying that her feelings of concern as JJ’s girlfriend were interfering with her professionality as JJ’s boss. She cleared her throat and straightened out her posture, planting both feet firmly on the ground as she stood up.

“Your follow up report on the Highway Killer case, I need it before you leave today,” Emily covered. It wasn’t a lie; she did need the report before the end of the day.

JJ’s brows furrowed. “Oh, right.” She straightened herself out, feeling the muscles at the base of her neck protest the movement. Her hands busied themselves with moving her stack of papers to the side before pulling her laptop closer to the desk’s edge. Her pinky brushed the mousepad causing the black screen to morph into a blinding white, and JJ noticeably flinched as a new flurry of spots interrupted her settling vision. She closed her eyes for a moment, praying that when she opened them the spots would be gone.

_Nope, of course not._

“You okay?” Emily maintained her chiefly tone. She didn’t feel unprofessional for asking; now she was just a boss checking on one of her colleagues.

“Yeah,” JJ flashed Emily one of her classic ‘I’m fine but I’m really not’ smiles. “Just tired. Had a long night.” That wasn’t a lie either; JJ had, had a long night. Michael was having a difficult time adjusting to Will not being around as much as he was used to, so JJ was up until 12 A.M. dealing with a cluster of seemingly never-ending temper tantrums.

“Alright,” Emily conceded, although she didn’t buy JJ’s story for a moment. “I need that report by five.”

JJ nodded, ignoring the wave of lightheadedness that washed over her as she did so. “Five o’clock,” she called after the brunette. “On the dot.”

Jennifer’s stiff grin dissipated once Emily’s back was turned. Closing her eyes against the pressure that was morphing into a steady throbbing pain on the right side of her head, she released the heavy breath weighing on her chest.

* * *

Emily made a pit stop at Tara’s desk before returning to her office.

“Hey,” Emily’s pointer finger sounded against the black painted wood. “Do you mind keeping an eye on JJ for a little while?” She dragged her teeth across her bottom lip, feeling uncomfortable asking for such a personal favor from her friend while they were at work. Emily had an almost compulsive need to remain professional at all times that it sometimes slipped her mind how their team’s mix of professionality and personality was the reason the BAU worked together so well.

Tara tore her eyes away from the report she was typing up, eyebrows raised.

“Of course,” She recognized the concern in her friend’s eyes, but it was being hidden well by what the team referred to as her “Hotch mask”. “Is she okay?”

Emily inhaled a breath. The answer to that question was a complicated one. Was JJ okay? No, she wasn’t. She hasn’t been okay since she’s known her. Neither has she. But Emily knew Tara wasn’t digging as deep as her mind went. She was only wondering why she had come over asking for her assistance.

“Yeah,” Emily breathed. It was only a partial lie. JJ wasn’t okay right now but she might be in a few hours. Emily knew how strongly Jennifer Jareau disliked people worrying and hovering over her. JJ would come to her if it got bad enough - well, most of the time - but in case she didn’t, Emily wanted to make sure there was someone looking out for her. “She’s just been under a lot of stress lately and with the anniversary coming up...” She trailed off, trusting Tara would get the hint and she wouldn’t have to go into more detail about JJ’s troubles.

“Say no more. I’ve got her,” Tara affirmed with a warm and reassuring smile, which Emily returned gratefully.

Feeling satisfied that JJ would be okay for the time being, Unit Chief Emily Prentiss turned on her heels and returned to her office, shutting the door behind her as quietly as she could manage.

* * *

Thirty minutes passed, and JJ had only managed to type a paragraph. The sharp pains that shot up the right side of her head, and reverberated throughout her skull in a painful throb, made the light emitting from the computer screen that much more excruciating. She stared at the bright screen through slits, watching the blinking cursor as her brain failed to provide her with the words she needed to continue her report. She had been clenching her jaw to refrain from reaching up to alleviate some of the pressure with her fingers, her fingers that were locked in typing position from the strain of forcing herself to stay still. Times like this caused JJ to hate the location of her desk. She was in Emily’s direct line of sight, meaning her boss - and girlfriend - had free rein to just check up on her, or, god forbid, _profile_ her whenever she wanted to.

Tara eyed JJ warily, frown lines noticeable on her forehead. Not long after Emily requested for her to keep an eye on the blonde, Tara had realized what the problem was. JJ was doing a scarily good job at hiding it, but her training in behavior enabled her to pick up on and piece together the swift furrowings of her brows, rigid posture, the biting of her bottom lip, and rare pinching of the bridge of her nose. JJ was suffering from a migraine, and it seemed to be getting getting worse.

Tara exchanged a look of concern with Spencer. He had picked up on the beginning stage of her migraine before anyone else had. The resident genius turned to face Tara and mouthed “get Emily”.

Tara nodded and began to push herself up, but the sound of high heels clacking against the marble floors halted her movements.

* * *

Penelope Garcia burst through the Unit Chief’s office door.

“What did you do to my Gumdrop?” The technical analyst accused.

Emily’s head snapped up from her paperwork at the intrusion, startled. Her eyebrows drew together once her friend’s words registered. “What?”

“Poor thing can barely hold her head up, and she hasn’t done any work in like fifteen minutes! She’s just been sitting there as still as one of those horrifyingly pale, dead bodies you forced me to look at last week.” Emily’s reprieve from her concern for JJ ended as she listened to Garcia’s worried ramble. “Which I know because I may or may not have hacked into the building’s security cameras since I’ve been going stir crazy with the complete lack of innocent humans needing our superhuman help!”

Emily chanced a glance out her office window, and she felt a tightening in her chest at the sight. JJ had given up on refraining from showing her discomfort and was now bent forwards, elbows resting on her desk as she pressed her hand into the right side of her face.

“Emily,” her name being called pried her focus away from the blonde. She’d been so preoccupied that she failed to notice Tara had swung her door open. “It’s bad.”

Those two words were enough for Emily to abandon the mound of paperwork Barnes needed on her desk by tomorrow morning.

* * *

 Spencer sat watching JJ with, what the team referred to as, his “puppy-dog” eyes. He was worried, for obvious reasons. His best friend was in pain, a pain he was intimately familiar with and he wanted to make it stop. But logically, he knew that despite his best efforts, he couldn’t. His mind was racing with a thousand thoughts per second when he felt a hand squeeze his shoulder.

Spencer didn’t have to turn around to conclude that the hand likely belonged to Emily Prentiss, but when he did, the unspoken communication of “I’ve got her” allowed for Spencer to feel comfortable enough to return to his computer.

Emily made tentative steps toward JJ’s desk. The blonde hadn’t noticed Emily come out of her office. Emily assumed JJ was too consumed by the pain to give any attention to her other senses.

“JJ,” Jennifer sank her teeth into her bottom lip, holding back a groan as the noise sent jolts of pain throughout her skull. “Are you _sure_ you’re okay?”

JJ ignored the hints of concern in her boss’ voice - because that’s what she was here, her boss.

“Fine.”

 _One word answer_ , Emily noted. That either meant she was dealing with a frustrated JJ or an unwell JJ, or both. Most likely both. Jennifer tended to get frustrated when her body wasn’t cooperating the way she wanted it to.

“Well, Garcia seems to think otherwise.”

JJ’s eyebrows furrowed but not from the pain. “Penelope?”

Emily ignored her. “Why don’t you go lay down for a little while? Take a break.”

“ _Emily_ ,” JJ warned. Her girlfriend was wearing heavily on the line between personal and professional.

“ _Jennifer_.”

“I’m _fine_ , Em,” JJ tried, though she knew her attempt was futile. Emily Prentiss wasn’t stupid. She was trained in behavior, and JJ knew she could see right through her lies. And right now, she was telling a big one. _Fine_ was a large overstatement of how well JJ felt at the moment; a more accurate description would be feeling like her brain was being smashed to pieces with a sledgehammer.

“Really?” Emily fought the urge to roll her eyes. “Stand up without falling over.”

JJ froze. Just the thought of standing up made her feel off balance, but she refused to give Emily the satisfaction of being right.

JJ’s arms felt shaky as she pushed herself up from her chair, legs threatening to collapse underneath her as the dancing spots made a reappearance, and the nausea returned with a vengeance. Her eyes fell shut as she swallowed thickly, willing her meager brunch to remain in her stomach.

“Damn,” Emily hissed, watching JJ’s frail form begin to sway as if she were being blown by the wind. She quickly reached a hand out to steady her, and Emily felt the muscles beneath her fingertips relax momentarily as JJ released a shuddering breath.

“Maybe-,” JJ cleared the raspiness from her throat. “Maybe laying down for a bit wouldn’t be such a bad idea.”

Emily nodded in sympathy. The frailness of her girlfriend’s form only added to her growing concern. Emily had never thought of JJ as weak, but right now, the brunette feared that her touch would cause her to break into pieces.

“You want to lay down in your old office or mine?” Emily whispered. The urge to brush away the blonde strands that fell into Jennifer’s eyes washed over her, and Emily had to remind herself that they were standing in the middle of the bullpen and that she was JJ’s _boss._

JJ looked at Emily through unfocused blue orbs.

“Yours,” the response was almost a whimper.

Emily knew better than to ask JJ if she needed help walking to her office so she simply reached her hand out, providing JJ with the option. The sweet gesture elicited the faintest of smiles to appear on the blonde’s lips.

JJ would be lying if she said the temptation to let Emily take her by the hand wasn’t there; the nausea and feeling of faint that increased the longer she stood reminded her of that. But she absolutely despised feeling helpless, and honestly, it really wasn’t _that_ bad.

“I’ve got it,” the waver in the blonde’s voice didn’t fill Emily with much confidence, but she stepped to the side anyways, and allowed JJ to walk in front of her. She stayed close behind, though, just incase JJ were to falter.

* * *

As JJ lowered herself onto Emily’s office couch, she could feel the tightening in her muscles loosen, her aching body thanking her for giving it a much needed break. Through her closed eyelids, she could hear the closing of the blinds, and, as the light seeping through her lids lessened, a relieved whimper escaped her throat.

“Thanks,” she mumbled through droopy lids.

“Shh,” Emily cooed. “Don’t speak. Just rest.”

JJ nodded on impulse, biting back a groan as the movement sent yet another jolt of pain through her skull. She adjusted her body, leaning back against the couch, gently lowering her head onto the throw pillow and propping her feet up on the cushions. The spent profiler flung a hand over her eyes, shielding out any invading light. Emily’s heart melted at the content sigh that escaped through JJ’s parted lips.

Emily watched the rise and fall of the younger woman’s chest with each breath she took until she was confident she had fallen asleep. Only then did she allow herself to return to her paperwork.

Every now and then JJ would let out a moan or whimper of discomfort that would draw Emily’s attention away from her reports for a few moments, each one sitting heavily at the bottom of her gut.

Emily cracked a smile despite herself, remembering all the times JJ had been in the position she is now. All the times, when they were still dancing around their feelings for one another, JJ had plead with Emily to go home when she would come to work sick or refuse to rest after one of her numerous hits to the head. It’s why she was allowing JJ to rest on her office couch. She understood how she felt. They were both workaholics and way too stubborn for their own good. There was no way she’d be able to get JJ to go home; JJ wouldn’t be able to get her to.

It was a mutual agreement they settled upon months ago to prevent potential fights. They were allowed to suggest but they couldn’t force one another to do something they didn’t want to, unless the matter was life threatening.

* * *

A few hours passed, it was now 4 P.M., and the sun was beginning to set. Emily couldn’t focus on her reports any longer. Usually JJ would have tried to return to work by this point, not because she felt better but because it made her feel guilty when she was the only one of the team not working. If she was at work, she worked. That was her motto.

So this, _this_ worried Emily. JJ had been asleep for the last three hours and was still out cold. She wasn’t sure how restful it was, considering the furrow in her brow and how the petite woman would toss and turn and groan every once in a while, but regardless, she was still asleep. Usually the blonde’s anxiety would have woken her up by now, and the fact that it hadn’t, told Emily that JJ’s body was lacking the proper amount of rest it required.

Emily sighed and set down her pen, her almond eyes bearing a heavy concern. She really should not be at work right now. She should be at home, resting in the comfort of her own bed.

A gentle knock on the door shook Emily from her thoughts, causing an involuntary jerk of her head. She whipped around, her heart rate settling as Reid entered her view. She held a finger up, signaling for him to wait one minute. Emily glanced at JJ, checking to make sure she was still asleep before she left her office to see what Spencer needed to discuss with her.

“She hasn’t come back to her desk yet,” Reid stated. His eyebrows were scrunched together in worried confusion.

_Oh, he wants to talk about JJ…_

Emily crossed her arms over her chest, the fabric of her black blazer stretching uncomfortably.

“Yeah, I know,” she acknowledged.

“She shouldn’t be here,” he murmured, looking through the office door at his fatigued best friend.

“I know.”

“She should be at home.”

Emily’s jaw dropped, taking offense at his insinuation that she was simply allowing her girlfriend to stay at work feeling so miserable. “I tried. You know how she is. Besides, I couldn’t take her home anyway. She’s not ready for the boys to know about our relationship.”

Spencer cocked his head to the side, picking up on the sadness that tinted Emily’s tone as her gaze fell to the ground, obviously feeling sheepish for showcasing what she deemed to be too much of her personal life.

Emily shook off the feeling and looked Reid in the eyes. “Look, if you think you can get her to go home, then go right ahead. I’m not gonna stop you.”

“Her hours are almost over anyways. She just might let you take her home,” The chuckle that escaped Emily was forlorn as she wished, once again, she could be the one taking her home.

His expression softened and he gave her a single nod. “I just turned in my follow up report so I was on my way out. I can drop her off on my way home. I just wish she wasn’t going to be all alone, you know?”

Emily gave him a sad smile. She wished the same, desperately. She wanted to help out with Henry and Michael. She wanted to comfort JJ when she was hurting. She wanted to be there for them, as much as she possibly could. She was ready for that next step, and it frightened her how _unfrightened_ she was by it.

“I’ll gather her stuff.”

“Thanks, Spencer.”

“Of course.”

* * *

Emily knelt down by JJ’s head, frowning at the pain stemmed furrow between her blonde brows. She felt a little guilty for waking her up, but she knew that she couldn’t just let JJ sleep in her office all night.

“JJ,” she whispered, giving her shoulder a gentle shake. She’d switched positions once again. Before Emily left the office, JJ had been facing the back of the couch with her right arm flung over her eyes. Now she had turned so that she was facing the office door, her left hand resting on the top of her head in a half-curled fist as her right arm rested at her side.

“C’mon, Jay,” she murmured a little louder, brushing some hair out of JJ’s ashen face.

JJ’s nose twitched and then her eyes began to flutter. A small groan emitted from her throat as her eyes opened. She was squinting but they were open.

“What time is it?” she husked, her throat painfully dry. She swallowed, trying to wet it some but her mouth held minimal moisture.

“Uh,” Emily checked her wristwatch. “About four-thirty.”

JJ’s eyes widened. “Damn.” She tried to push herself up, but the swift movement caused her vision to fade out, black spots dancing in front of her eyes as her head swam, leaving her feeling quite faint and nauseated. She gulped, her face contorting into a grimace as she realized she wasn’t feeling much better than when she’d fallen asleep.

“Woah, okay. Alright,” Emily soothed, stroking her girlfriend’s arm to offer the swaying woman some support and comfort.

“The report,” JJ mumbled.

Emily shook her head. “It can wait.”

Emily gave JJ a once over, observing her eyes that were squeezed shut and the slow, even breaths she was forcing herself to take. Something she knew the blonde did when she was feeling nauseous. “It’s a bad one, huh?”

“Maybe,” JJ answered after a beat. She forced a slight chuckle that ended in a wince. “Bad idea.”

“You need to go home.”

“Can’t drive.”

“I know. Reid’s gonna give you a ride.”

“Spence?” JJ questioned. “Why Spence?”

Emily’s mouth bobbed, her mind blank. She just thought…

“I just assumed you’d be more comfortable with him taking you home,” the brunette offered. Although, she was now beginning to question her judgement on the decision.

If the thundering pulse in her head didn’t make it so painful for JJ to form coherent thoughts and sentences, she would’ve cracked a joke about thinking they had already cleared up her “feelings” for Reid as being a trauma bred fluke, months ago. Unfortunately, for the both of them, JJ had to go with a response that required less brain power. “Why would you think that?” It was a lot less whimsical than the kind of response she would usually go for in these kind of conversations.

When she didn’t hear a response from Emily, JJ took a breath and pushed herself to explain further. “I mean, I obviously don’t mind Spence taking me home but.” JJ paused as a particularly unpleasant wave of pain reared its ugly head. “I would much prefer it be you.”

Jennifer’s admission threw Emily off balance. She could have sworn they just had a conversation regarding this exact subject. “I thought you weren’t ready for Henry and Michael to know about our relationship.”

“I-I’m not,” JJ stuttered. “I mean,” she opened her eyes, anticipating the onslaught of pain the introduction of light would cause, and waited for it to abate before she continued. “I’m _scared_ to tell them but it’s not like things are going to end between us anytime soon so,” JJ reached for Emily’s hand. “It can’t hurt too much, right?”

Emily smiled at the contact.

“Possibly,” she teased, producing a weak grin on the opposite woman’s lips.

“Plus, it would be nice having you around more often.”

Feeling drained, and less than ideal, JJ leaned into Emily’s chest, her warmth acting as a dose of medicine to her aching body parts. Emily kissed the top of JJ’s head as she watched her eyelids flutter shut, knowing she needed to get her home, and some pharmacy bought meds in her system, before she full on crashed.

“I should go let Reid know he can go on home. I’m sure Max is waiting on him.” JJ gave a playful whine as Emily pulled herself away. The blonde leaned her head against the headrest as the door closed behind Emily, the pain and nausea less easy to ignore without her presence. JJ winced as another painful wave latched onto her skull, simultaneously turning her stomach along with it. Ugh, she needed to lay down.

* * *

“Reid, hey.”

Spencer was just beginning to pack up his computer as Emily entered the bullpen. JJ’s stuff was already packed and leaning against his desk, ready to go.

“Sorry for-,” Spencer flipped over the flap of his satchel and looked up, revealing his knowing smirk.

“Let me guess,” He cut her off. “You and JJ talked and now, _you_ are going to take her home.”

Emily stalled mid-movement. _How did he-? Ugh! Geniuses._ She gave him her infamous glare. “You make it really hard for me to like you sometimes, you know that?”

“Mm, but I think you do.”

“I don’t.”

Reid nodded, unconvincingly, and slung his bag over his shoulder.

“JJ’s stuff is right there,” he pointed at the clump of JJ’s coat, purse, and computer bag on the floor. “See you tomorrow,” he saluted and headed for the double doors.

Emily rolled her eyes with a shake of her head, and a small smile that she would adamantly deny was ever there. These past few months, Emily had been the happiest she’d been since… well, ever, really. And tonight, she felt completely unconstrained. She was certain that wouldn’t last long but tonight, she had a feeling that, for once, she would be sleeping free from her pervading nightmares. _Unless they were JJ’s_ , came the solemn reminder.

* * *

Emily noticed JJ’s position had changed when she re-entered her office with JJ’s things, and a water bottle she grabbed from the kitchen, in hand. She was bent over at her middle, holding her head in her hands. She set JJ’s stuff down by her desk, a disconcerting feeling settling in the pit of her stomach.

“You okay?” Emily could see JJ’s shoulders rising and falling in rhythm with her unnaturally slow breaths. _Maybe feeling nauseous again_ ? Her profiler brain filed that observation away in its “ _Jennifer Jareau_ ” compartment. Emily sat down next to her carefully so as not to jostle the unwell blonde.

“Yeah.”

 _Not really_.

Sitting up was really _not_ helping JJ feel better in the slightest. She felt worse, if that was even possible, but she wasn’t prepared to admit that out loud. Usually, she would be feeling a little bit better by now, having swallowed a few pills to help her get through the day. However, it seemed that today just wasn’t going to be her day. She’d felt the migraine coming on the night before, prompting her suffering the inevitable result of her mounting stress over the last few weeks - ... and months, the last several years really, but with the six year anniversary of her abduction right around the corner, her anxiety had escalated to even _higher_ than its usual disturbance. And between her fussing 4 year-old and her rush to get out the door this morning, she’d forgotten to grab the pills from the medicine cabinet. She’d forgotten about the impending migraine altogether until it’s abrupt onset later in the morning.

“Here.” JJ peaked one eye open, lifting her head just a smidge to see what it was that her girlfriend was offering. She struggled not to vocalize her discomfort as her head swam and intensified the swirling in her stomach. JJ was pretty sure her head wasn’t supposed to feel this heavy, almost like she had a head cold, just without the coughing, sneezing, and mucus.

JJ eyed the water bottle Emily was holding out to her warily. Not because she didn’t want it, she did; her mouth felt like cotton balls were stuffed inside it. But with the way she felt, she was hesitant to put anything in her stomach, even if it was just liquid.

“JJ, you need to stay hydrated,” Emily urged, having picked up on her hesitation. Her head was raised just enough for Emily to see the way the hint of color JJ’s complexion had, had just a few minutes ago had since drained away, leaving behind a sickly pallor. It wasn’t very often Emily saw her other half look, and _feel_ , so physically miserable, and it hurt. It made her feel helpless, and helpless was the _last_ thing she wanted to feel when it came to Jennifer Jareau.

JJ knew Emily was right. She took the bottle from her and held it in a weak grasp, her hands shaking as she tried to unscrew the cap. JJ’s frustration with her body’s inability to cooperate began to boil under the surface, sucking her remaining bits of energy down the drain. A defeated huff passed through her lips when she felt Emily’s hand still hers before taking the water bottle from her to open it.

Feeling ashamed of her inability to open a damned water bottle, JJ simply muttered a sheepish “thanks” in reply. Her head down as she stared through the circular hole of the water bottle to avoid making eye contact.

“You’re really not feeling well, are you?” It was more of a somber conclusion she came to than a thoughtful query. She didn’t expect JJ to answer her truthfully anyway, and to her expectation, Emily only received a simple shoulder shrug in reply. She rested a hand on the small of JJ’s back, rubbing against the fabric of her t-shirt in a slow and gentle manner. JJ didn’t always want to be touched when she felt crappy, so this was Emily’s way of testing the waters. When the blonde didn’t protest, and only hummed in what could’ve been either contentment or pain, Emily continued the soothing movements.

JJ’s mouth acted as a sponge as she poured the cold water down it, soaking up the hydration she’d been denying it all day. She knew Emily’s intention when giving her the bottle hadn’t been for her to take one sip and call it a day, so she continued sipping in intervals for the next few minutes, hoping that rehydrating her body would make her, _at least_ , feel okay enough to walk to the car.

A few minutes later, JJ was bent forward with her head in her hands once again. Under her palm, Emily could feel JJ’s every breath. They were still slow and calming, but that didn’t worry her. What worried her was the increase in the amount of swallowing JJ was doing.

“You good?” Emily queried. She loved JJ to death but she was not keen on having vomit to clean up from her office floor.

JJ swallowed back a gag, her stomach rebelling against her upright position and the half a bottle of water she forced into it.

“Feel sick.” Much like Emily, JJ wasn’t too keen on _vomiting_ all over her office floor either. She wasn’t sure if Emily heard her, though. She’d barely opened her mouth when speaking in fear of words not being the thing that came out of it. Emily seemed to have gotten the message though as JJ felt movement beside her and then an absence of warmth.

JJ could hear Emily rustling around as she went to get the trash can she kept somewhere in her office. She placed the back of her hand to her lips. Her mouth was salivating a dangerous amount, and she prayed for Emily to hurry up. She slammed her eyes shut as her stomach gave a violent heave, and she made a gagging sound as she choked down another retch. Emily must’ve gotten the hint because she dashed back to where JJ was and thrust the trash can in front of her. She barely had time to pull her hair back before JJ lunged forward and expelled the water she’d just consumed along with her meager morning meals.

“Okay, okay,” Emily soothed with a grimace she hoped wasn’t detectable in her voice as she gathered the remaining strands of blonde hair that missed the initial grouping during the onslaught. “It’s okay. You’re okay.”

JJ coughed before heaving again, to Emily’s dismay. She was a bit jarred by the forcefulness at which JJ had gotten sick, and it made her wonder how long she’d been trying to avoid it.

Once the heaving died down, and JJ pulled her head away from the disgusting, puke filled trash can that Emily never wanted near her office ever again, Emily let go of JJ’s hair and went to go grab a tissue from the pack in her purse.

JJ gratefully accepted the tissue, used it to wipe any remnants from her mouth, and tossed it into the finished trash can.

“Sorry you had to see that,” she confessed, masking her genuine anxiety with her poorest attempt at a laugh to date.

“There’s no need to apologize, Jay.” Emily squashed her concerns as she used her shoe-protected foot to push the full trash can out of their way. She’d inform a custodian about it on their way out. JJ would’ve genuinely laughed if it wouldn’t have further amplified the building of the stabbing throb in her head already escalated by her lovely vomit session.

“But I do think we should probably get you home before _this_ ,” Emily gestured to the banished trash can. “...happens again.”

JJ smirked in agreement.

Emily returned to her spot on the couch, and JJ immediately leaned her tired body into the other woman. “JJ?”

“Give me a minute,” JJ murmured against Emily’s chest. She was enjoying the feeling of comfort bodily contact gave her and she didn’t want to let go of it just yet. “Please?”

The innocence her voice held in that one word destroyed every authoritative bone in Emily’s body. “Of course.”

 

“You ready?” Emily whispered, brushing the sweaty baby hairs that clung to JJ’s forehead out of the way. About ten minutes had passed, and although she knew the blonde was tired, she wanted to get her home as soon as possible. She would feel much better once she was in the comfort of her own bed. Her office was also beginning to smell a little bit. It was definitely going to need to be sprayed with disinfectant. _Ugh_.

“Yeah.” Her head was still throbbing, her stomach was still unsettled, and she wasn’t sure how well her limbs would be able to hold her up, but with the words Emily uttered next, JJ knew she’d be just fine.

Emily pressed a tender kiss to Jennifer’s forehead. “Let’s go home.”


End file.
